Museum launches open call for focal art installation

Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales is seeking to commission a piece of art to be suspended from the pillars in the main entrance hall at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.

The piece will respond to the new vision for the museum as a place that celebrates Wales’s unique and diverse stories of living with the sea, from deep in the past through our present experiences far into the future.

They seek to work with individuals and communities to tell their stories in a way that inspires their visitors and helps them connect with our nation.

The new vision for the museum will be realised in a phased redevelopment. The commissioned piece will be key to start changing the narrative of who the National Waterfront Museum is.

The call is open to all artists residing in Wales, with Amgueddfa Cymru offering a commission fee of £15,000.00 (excl. installation). The piece will remain on display for a minimum of one year.

Interested artists are invited to attend a Q&A session with the Head of Museum and curators at 13:00 on 29 August.2025 at National Waterfront Museum. This will also be an opportunity to view the space.

Interested artists can register for the Q&A by emailing [email protected]

Submission Guidelines

The museum invites submissions that may include a combination of visual arts disciplines and materials. They would expect the design to consider the site-specific nature of the work and the technical requirements of the space.

Owing to the venue, audio works will not be appropriate in this instance.

In submissions, the museum has asked artists to outline the sustainability of the materials used. Can they be
recycled or reused after de-installation?

AI-generated works are not acceptable.

The piece will need to comply with all Health and Safety requirements raised by Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales. This includes, but is not limited to, fire safety and mode of installation. They encourage submissions from underrepresented groups.

The deadline for submission is 26 September 2025, and submissions are to be sent to:

National Waterfront Museum
Weston Hall Open Call
Oystermouth Road
Swansea
SA13RD
or
[email protected]

Selection Process

The jury will select shortlisted artists for interviews. The successful submission will be announced later in the year.
Key criteria for selection will be

• Relevance to the vision of the museum
• Use of space
• Celebration of Welshness
• Sustainability

The jury is composed of
• Dr Nicole Deufel, Head of National Waterfront Museum
• Rhian Evans, Senior Curator at National Waterfront Museum
• Karen MacKinnon, Curator, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
• Prof Sue Williams, Swansea College of Art, University of Wales Trinity Saint David
• NN, Amgueddfa Cymru Producer

It is intended that the work will go on display no later than February 2026.